Further on down the line
by ZeeHawk
Summary: It's been three years since Marigold was submitted to hospital in 'The Illustrated Mum'. The lives of Marigold, Dolphin and Star have all changed, with new encounters.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm much too old to read Jacqueline Wilson books anymore, but I recently found my old copy of The Illustrated Mum and it re-kindled my love for the books as I grew up reading them. I just always wondered what happened afterwards and I happened to start writing it out for fun. **

**So more or less, this is just a fun little way of relaxing and using my imagination from time to time. It doesn't have to be read by anyone, it's just somewhere to put it. I'm not usually one to make spelling and punctuation mistakes in serious matters, but there may be some here, so I apologise. And if anyone likes it, I may continue. :)**

* * *

I'm Dolphin, I'm thirteen years old. You might remember my story about Marigold, Star and me when I was younger, how I was left to look after her when my Star left us to live with her dad, Mickey, Marigold's true love. Well, he isn't anymore. Star still sees Mickey occasionally, but she's not so besotted with him anymore.

After Marigold had been in hospital for a while after she got very ill and painted herself, she changed a lot when she got better. Part of me was disappointed, but the other half of me felt relieved. Relieved that I would no longer have to worry about my mums well-being as well as my own, relieved that she would now take care of me.

She still had all of her tattoos. Star told her she had to keep them when Marigold said she'd laser them off. I agreed with Star. Her tattoos were special; they all had their own special meanings. The only one I wanted her to get rid of eventually was the heart tattooed over her own heart, because it said 'Mickey' on it. It's been three years now, and she stopped loving him a year after she got treated at the hospital.

"It was all silly nonsense. Infatuation." Marigold shrugged, laughing at herself, as if it had all just been a silly crush lasting a few months instead of thirteen years. I didn't say anything. I knew that she would react like she used to if I did, but I'd learnt to hold my tongue over the years and it had become a habit.

Star was so much more grown up now. I thought she was a glamorous, grown up girl when she was just thirteen. Now, at sixteen, she was turning into a beautiful woman. I was still jealous of her. She was still blonde, but bleached it very brightly, and had cut it shorter with feathery layers; framing her lovely face and making her look prettier than ever. Star had a part-time job at the corner shop on Friday afternoons after school and on the weekends. Not every Saturday and Sunday, but most of the time in the morning or early afternoon.

Despite having a job and seeming responsible, Star has changed a lot. She's more carefree and wild now.

"It's to make up for my having no childhood after looking after Marigold." she simply stated. I found this a bit mean of her but I knew that she was right. Star was mother until Marigold became well. She went out a lot, had new friends, didn't mind too much if she didn't do her homework straight away and wasn't too fussed about revising for a test. She still did well at school, but she wasn't trying as hard, making her results never as good as they used to be. Star didn't care though. Right now she was sat in front of the mirror, getting ready to go out.

"Dol. Stop staring at me, you're putting me off." she said, irritated whilst trying to steadily apply liquid eyeliner. I looked away. I couldn't help looking. I loved the way Star looked, with and without makeup, she could pull off anything. I was still a mousy brown haired girl, although it had gotten longer and the curls had calmed down and formed into waves instead now. I suppose I had started to change a bit too, I got my first bra a few months ago. I suppose it was okay, but there were still so many things about being a teenager I didn't know.

"Sorry." I said. "Does Marigold know you're going out?" I asked her. Marigold was less laid-back about Star just going off out whenever she fancied now. She was more responsible.

"No, but I'll get round her." Star said, smiling. Marigold kept saying she didn't want me and Star to turn out like her. I wanted to be like Marigold, she was magical. I knew what she meant though, having had Star very young and going off on drunken nights out and not coming home until the next day. She did that a lot, leaving us alone. I decided I didn't want to be like that either if I had children. I remember how I felt, even though it wasn't her fault entirely.

I'm not sure why Star was so confident. She and I both knew that Marigold favoured Star just a tiny bit more than me back in the days, because she was Mickey's child, but that had changed, Marigold wasn't like that anymore since she'd been put on medication. It worked a treat.

I was right about Marigolds reluctance to let Star out.

"Please!"

"No Star, it's six o'clock, and it's Thursday! You have school tomorrow." Marigold told her.

"_You _used to do things like this all the time. You never cared about going to school the next day." Star protested, getting angry.

"Yes, I know. Look where it got me." Marigold said. "A teenage mum, no skills, no job, a drinking problem." About six months after her recovery, Marigold decided to quit drinking and get a job. Since she was more serious now, Steve employed her officially part-time at the Rainbow Tattoo Studio. She did flash work as usual, and worked on special custom designs for people. Occasionally, she would sit on reception too. Marigold loved it.

Star was whining on and on, bringing up things from the past, saying Marigold did this and that. Marigold snapped back.

"Look Star, I've said no. Accept it! I'm not not _not_ like that anymore! I have sense and responsibilities now." she told her.

Star made a loud, frustrated sound. "You're nothing but a big hypocrite! You haven't really changed, you'll just go crazy again eventually!" Marigold gasped as Star said this. "I'm not listening to someone who doesn't know anything about responsibility! I'm going out!" she shouted, marching to the door and slamming it.

"Star!" Marigold shouted, but knew Star wouldn't listen. She didn't go after her because she also knew it would create a big mess between them, and Star didn't always get on with Marigold still. I walked over to Marigold and put my arms around her.

"You're not like that at all Marigold. You're the most wonderful, loving caring mum in the world." I told her.


	2. Chapter 2

**I've decided to continue anyway, I've started to enjoy writing again so it's a nice way for me to relieve stress. :)**

**If you do happen to read this, I hope you enjoy and once again, sorry for any spelling and punctuation errors.**

**Note: I do not own The Illustrated Mum, Star, Marigold, Dolphin, Mickey, Steve, The Rainbow Tattoo Studio or anything else from the book. All credit goes to Jacqueline Wilson.**

* * *

"Oh Marigold." I sighed, comforting her, my arms around her as we sat on the sofa together. She wasn't crying like she used to, great big sobs, mouth wide open, erratic breathing. She was sat down, quiet but tears rolling down her cheeks. I couldn't bare it.

"She hates me Dol. Star just doesn't get on with me." She whimpered, looking downtrodden. "She's right about everything, it's my fault. If I hadn't of been the way I was, then she wouldn't feel this way and rebel against me. But it's my influence." She wailed.

"No." I said firmly, really disliking Star for making Marigold be this way. "It's not your fault and you didn't influence her. It's Stars decision to act like that and she knows it." Or at least, she used to when we were younger. She always made out that she was going to be sensible and didn't want to turn out like Marigold at all.

Marigold sniffed and wiped her tears away, a small smile appearing on her face as she looked at me. "Oh Dol, you're right. It's her decision, it's not like I made her choose to do this." She looked a lot happier, like a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. After that, Marigold cheered up, being her usual happy self again, and we enjoyed each other's company.

We had a great time. First, Marigold put on her Emerald City CDs and we danced around the flat. Then I grabbed a hairbrush and mimed into it, Marigold joined in grabbing her own hairbrush. After that, we dressed up in her clothes, making ourselves look glamorous. I even wore some make-up, dark purple lipstick and black eye shadow. I liked it. We took some pictures and danced around again, really feeling the part.

After a while, we heard a bang and both jumped up, turning off the music and staring towards the door. Star had come back, we realised it was around midnight. Marigold and I must have lost track of time. Star wobbled on her heels.

"You two are so embarrassing! Look at the state of you both!" Star_slurred?_ I looked at her, shocked. She was drunk! Marigold knew it too.

"Star!" she said, surprised, slightly angry. "You've been drinking!"

"No I haven't." Star giggled stupidly.

"I can smell it on you." Marigold knew this; she had been through it so many times to not notice. Marigold frowned, walking up to Star and taking her by the shoulders. "Oh Star why would you get so drunk? It's so unlike you sweetie."

I thought about something. "_Where _did you get alcohol from?" I asked, and Marigold looked back at Star, raising her eyebrows as if to say, _Well?_

Star frowned. "It's none of your business! I can do what I want. I looked after both of you I can certainly look after myself." She said harshly, marching into our room, slamming the door. I hated this. I looked down at the floor, not talking.

Marigold broke the silence. "Oh well, it's her own fault. She's the one who has to go to school with a hangover." She stated. She put her hand on my shoulder. "How about you sleep in my bed with me tonight?" she said gently. It's like she knew I didn't want to face Star alone.

So we washed off all our vivid make-up and I felt like plain old Dolphin again, not a rock star. It didn't matter so much when we'd both put on our pyjamas and snuggled into Marigolds large, cosy bed, duvet encasing us. I fell asleep very easily, comforted by Marigold and her lovely, musty scent.


	3. Chapter 3

**If you do happen to read this, I hope you enjoy and once again, sorry for any spelling and punctuation errors.**

**Note: I do not own The Illustrated Mum, Star, Marigold, Dolphin, Mickey, Steve, The Rainbow Tattoo Studio or anything else from the book. All credit goes to Jacqueline Wilson.**

* * *

I woke very early. I'd had a nightmare that Star had left us again. Only this time it was with strange, horrible people. They had alcohol and cigarettes and were very loud and unpleasant. Star seemed to like them though. When I woke, I was cold and breathing rapidly. I had pushed the duvet off of me. Pulling it back on, I turned to my side. Marigold was nowhere to be found.

Then I heard it. Horrible, retching noises that made me heave just hearing them. I crept towards the door. I could hear Marigold. It wasn't her being sick though; she was making gentle, soothing sounds.

"Alright Star, it's okay sweetie." She said. I walked toward the bathroom, the door was open. Marigold was holding Stars hair back with one hand and gently rubbing her back with the other. I stayed quiet. Star sounded horrible. I knew why she was being sick, it was all the alcohol. I knew it all too well from when Marigold drank too much vodka. They were both shivering in the cold bathroom. I hoped this meant Star was made up with Marigold again.

I went back to sleep for a while, it was quite late at night. When I woke, Marigold was in the kitchen, making toast. "Hi sweetie," She greeted me cheerily. "Would you like some toast?" I nodded, smiling at her and went to the bathroom. I found my dress, hanging in the bathroom from when it was washed. I felt it, it was dry and so I slipped it on, finding some fresh underwear too.

When I went back into the kitchen I could smell the toast, and I then realised how hungry I was. I sat at the kitchen counter. Marigold had put red leather stools on one side of the one that wasn't attached to the wall, making it look rather stylish. We did have a table, but something about sitting at your own makeshift bar made me feel cool. Marigold brought me some toast and the butter dish, then reached into the cupboard.

"Would you like, jam, Marmite, marmalade, peanut butter or some sort of meaty toast topper?" she asked me, seeing if we had anything else. "Oh, there's chocolate spread here too."

I thought about it for a moment. "I think I'd like jam on my toast." It's a classic combination for toast.

Marigold obliged, bringing me the jar of scarlet red raspberry jam. After I'd spread my butter on, I dug into the jam, being generous with it. Once I took a bite, I tasted the sweetness of the jam and the butter combined and it felt wonderful. I made appreciative noises throughout my breakfast, and then had to get a drink to wash it down.

Marigold nibbled her own toast, lightly covered in Marmite. I was wondering where Star was when she came into the room in her pyjamas, her hair messy, her face pale and her eyes underlined with dark circles. She looked rough.

"I'm not going to school today, I don't feel well." She told us, as if it was matter-of-fact.

"Yes you are, Star. I told you last night after you stormed off that you'd have to deal with this in school." Marigold told her firmly, but tried to sound gentle.

Star swore, making Marigold gasp. "Fine, but I'll tell them that you let me drink."

"I don't care Star. Your school knows our history and that I'm a recovered alcoholic, so good luck with that." Marigold sounded airy and careless. Then that was the end of it. Star groaned, too weak to shout and storm off.

By the time I was about to leave, Star emerged from her room, still looking awful. She'd put on a fresh uniform. My year (year 8) had a teacher training day so we had the day off. Star had made the effort to put on some eye make-up, but it just made her look paler than she already was.

I worried about Star then remembered she'd brought it upon herself; she would simply just have to cope with her hangover. Her friends probably had hangovers too. Star didn't eat; she said she couldn't face food. She had a cup of tea and eventually dragged herself off to school.

Marigold had to go to work for the morning until 1 o'clock so I had a few hours to myself. I wasn't scared of being alone anymore, I had a lot of things to get over and I have grown from getting over my fears. We now had a television again too. Since Star and Marigold both got jobs, we've had more money than I can ever remember. Well, they're both part time but nobody has ever had a job until now, so it was a big difference.

Once they'd both left the house, Star leaving before Marigold so she didn't have to say goodbye, I made myself a cup of tea and settled in front of the telly. It was so good having modern appliances once more. I remember all the time having nothing to do and nobody to play with, and so at least now there was this.

About half an hour later Star came barging into the flat, muttering something about how she's not going to school and how Marigold can do something else. She was quite rude. Running to the bathroom, I could hear her throwing up noisily. About five minutes later, she emerged and slowly walked to our bedroom, where she collapsed on her bed. I didn't say anything, there was no point. All I knew is that Marigold would be mad.


End file.
